In 1980, Capes set a new record for the longest shot thrown by a British male, measuring 21.68 meters.
The message stated, “Today, October 23, Geoffrey Capes passed away with great sadness.”
“The world’s two strongest men and Britain’s best shot putter.”
Capes had a remarkable career, taking home gold in the shot twice at the European Indoor Championships and the Commonwealth Games.
He was a three-time Olympian who finished sixth at the 1980 Moscow Games, the closest he ever got to taking home a medal.
Born in Lincolnshire, Capes won the World Highland Championship six times.
He became well-known after winning the coveted World’s Strongest Man competition in 1983 in Christchurch, New Zealand, and 1985 in Cascais, Portugal.
A fellow World’s Strongest Man champion, Eddie Hall, praised Capes as a “true legend of strength” in his 2017 victory.
According to Hall, Geoff was a giant in spirit and heart in addition to being a two-time World’s Strongest Man and a record-breaking shot putter.
